Induction options

Hi Everyone

After your thoughts & experiences with what worked for induction for you.

Im looking at an induction this friday, and would rather avoid the whole Syntocin drip if possible.

I was already 1cm dilated at 33 weeks, I will be 39weeks at induction.

Do you think the gel stuff & breaking my waters would work, having had weeks of false/pre labour, I would hope so but who knows. LOL

Would appreciate any input, because I would love to avoid pethadine & epidural if at all possible, and think that syntocin drip again would make this imposible.

thanks

i was induced due to hindwater break so had the syntocin drip at around 9am and it was like being hit by a freight train with in 2 hrs, i had pethidine and an epidural because it was so intense, but it made me relax and dialate quicker, you dont have to have an epidural it's all up to you, but you do need constant monitoring so moving around is a little tricky but not impossible, hope this helps.

Thank you for your replies, I had to be induced with my DD due to hindwater as well, so know all about the freight train and what it entailed. YUCK

Epidural seemed to slow my labour ending with DD going into distress & episotomy & vaccuum extraction required to get her outta there fast.

Hopefully this can be avoided this time.

Melinda, are you being induced due to a hindwater leak? Sorry I probably have missed something!!!

If you are already 1cm I would assume they would just break the waters without gel since your cervix is open. The if labour doesn't establish as fast as THEY would like (likely as it often takes many hours for labour to establish this way, but they prefer 1-2) then they will want you on the drip. Not that you don't have a choice. Just say no :)

I was induced because I was overdue and since I was already 1.5cm dilated In didn't have the gel they just ruptured my membranes. I was then put on a drip but I didn't get the frieght train effect, my contractions started slowly before they got more intense and I managed to deliver with no drugs. It was a quick labour ( about 5hrs) but manageable.
Hopefully your labour will just need your waters ruptured to get it started and you won't need the drip. And like Kelly said you can always so no for a while.

Good Luck!

ETA: Caro, I didn't have an epi either and while I did have monitoring I could get up and move whenever I wanted too. As for the drip it can sometimes be used to regulate contractions. And I am pretty sure you don't get the gel if you are already dilated and your cervix is soft as thats what the gel does

With a drip and/or an epidural, they will want to continuously monitor you to make sure the baby is happy with those things, again you can say no, your decision. But if you do have the drip, you are more likely to have an epidural, the rates are very high, but it is not essential.

Nothing is essential in hospital. They have policies, but there is no law. So you can say no to whatever you please. Some doctors will give you grief about it, some are not afraid to tell you that you could get a dead baby, but they rely so much on machines now, that if you have one intervention, you are likely to need another, then another and so on. So it's always good to take even one step seriously. Once your waters are broken you are 'on the clock' for infection. So they will want that baby born in a certain time so infection wont set in. Thats why its best to leave those waters if possible. There is no study to say it speeds up labour, which is what many will tell you. One of my clients had an Ob walk in and tell her he'd like to break the waters to speed it up, so I gently reminded her that it was her decision to make, and there are no studies which confirm this and the Ob turned around and said, 'Yes, it's only what we think...' Not good enough for me :)

Birth support separate to the hospital is sooooo beneficial! ;)

the only thing i wanted to avoid this pregnancy was being induced!! because i was strep b negaitve i had 24 hours to give birth before induction, so i went home to labour but it didnt establish so i was induced 27 hrs after hindwater break and had AB's given, i didnt want induction because of what Kelly said, one thing leads to another with intervention and i ended up with pethidine and an epidural.

Did you know hindwaters can seal over again? And amniotic fluid replenishes itself?

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Obviously, the risk of infection will be higher when there is a large opening in the amniotic sac directly over the cervix, and the risk of infection will be almost negligible when the fluid is leaking from a high leak in the hindwaters. Bacteria would have to be awfully clever to find their way against a tide of outflowing fluid to find a small opening high in the amniotic sac.

Some ways to tell that the fluid is coming from a high leak in the hindwaters:

Belly still feels full of fluid, and baby's body isn't clearly outlined in the belly
Without touching the cervix, do a vaginal exam with sterile gloves to palpate the lower uterine segment directly inside the vagina. If the baby is easily ballotable, meaning it kind of floats up a bit, then there's still fluid in the belly, and the leak isn't over the cervix.

Also:

Quote:
There are two layers of membranes - the outer sac (the chorion), and the inner sac (the amnion); it is possible for the outer sac to break while the inner sac remains intact; this can still release some fluid that might have accumulated between the layers. This would tend to be a small amount of fluid, and generally there is not a continuing trickle.
It is possible for baby to poke a hole through the membranes at some point. Then, as fluid is released, the sac may double over on itself at that point and, like Glad Wrap, stick to itself, forming a seal over the leak. Again, this would tend to be a small amount of fluid, and generally there is not a continuing trickle.

There is no inherent benefit either way. Some women find drippy labours irritating after ROM, some women’s membranes do not rupture until crowning, some never do and the baby is born “in the caul”. If you’re birthing in a hospital, regardless of how much fluid has left the building, stay home until contractions are strong and close together or you’ll be on a timetable and pressured to induce. You will be told that you are at risk of infection.

NICE guidelines from the UK state that women can go up to 96 hours without being induced. The likelihood of infection is significantly reduced if you put nothing in your vagina (this includes VEs which are a major way germs are spread) and stay home in your own friendly germ environment as long as possible.

http://www.radmid.demon.co.uk/prom.htm

5.5 Induction of Labour in the presence of Prelabour Rupture of the Membranes (page 2

5.5.1 ....Epidemiological data on time interval from term PROM to spontaneous labour demonstrates that most women go into spontaneous labour within 24 hours of rupturing their membranes.

86% of women will labour within 12-23 hours
91% will labour within 24-47 hours
94% will labour within 48-95 hours
6% of women will not be in spontaneous labour witthin 96 hours of PROM.

USA Midwife Archives page on Prelabour Rupture Of Membranes:
www.gentlebirth.org/archives/prom.html

NICE/RCOG guidelines on induction of labour (short form)
(www.nice.org.uk/article.asp?a=17321)

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I was induced with No 2, by having my waters broken at first, then I walked around for an hour and then I was able to chose when I wanted the drip started.

I personally have to say that my induced labour was much better than my spontaneous labour! I ended up with an epidural and forceps delivery with the first, but with my induction, did the whole birth in 4 and a half hours, with just the gas as pain relief.

I don't know if the hospital I go to do it differently, or if the way my Obs has the drip is different, but both myself and a girlfriend who has the same hosp/obs have had slow and controlled inductions, where the contractions have started as nothing more than pressure and then been turned up every half hour from there, till established labour was underway.

next time, if I have another induction I will also be asking my Obs if I can negotiate on the monitoring and be monitored for 15/20 mins of every hour, so I am not continuously restrained!

First births can go like that Relle, it's unfortunate, but we usually have lots more fear, it's all unknown and of course no experienced support ;) Second bubbies are often born on the doorstep, or sooner ;) Would have been even quicker with a drip tho.

It is true Kelly, we just really have no idea "what" to expect do we?

Now that I am pregnant with No 3, all of the same old questions, fears and what to do are playing on my mind again!

for my first preg i also had a hindwater leak, so ob finished off breaking my waters then inserted the drip, yes it was like being hit by a truck, i had gas (made me spew lol) pethidene (yuck hated it) but eventually delivered via forceps 10hrs after drip was in.

2nd - did it all by myself and no drugs (13 days late tho lol)

3rd - induced at 10 days over, ob was going to dose of gel at 4pm a further dose at 10pm then come in the next morning at 7.30 to break my waters and put in drip (to which i said NO WAY lol) anyway went in and internal done and ctg monitoring done at 3pm found to be 1cm dilated, dose of gel in at 4pm - laid there watching telly for a bit (have to keep laying down after gel for around 1/2 hr) then had dinner and a bit of a walk, nothing happened, around 9pm (just before next lot of ctg and gel to be done) i complained about a dull ache (to which i was told was more than likely prostin gel pains) anyway monitor done and at 9.45pm, they informed me that yes i was having mild contractions (could still talk and be myself etc, was just a bit uncomfy) an internal was done i was 3cm so ob said no gel, 10pm waters broke so i headed on down to labour ward (i chose to walk down) had to stop twice to breathe through contractions, midwife asked if i wanted to labour in the bath (yes i replied so she started filling it), i told her i needed to do a bowel movement, she said up on the bed first and she did another internal this was at 10.15pm and i was 5cm, from then it seemed to be all systems go as soon as i got up i needed to push, ob arrived at 10.30pm - dh arrived at 10.45pm and dd entered the world at 11.06pm again no drugs (i did ask for an epidural as she was crowning lol) and the bath was only 1/4 full, hmmm one day i may get to labour in a bath lol.

good luck with your induction, even tho i was induced with my 3rd it was a fantastic experience, yes it was quick but it didn't shock me, in fact i was very relieved it was all over rather quickly lol

I was induced with Milo.
I had a membrane sweep unexpectedly at 41wks, and had gel inserted 2 days after that, adn things happened from there.

I did end up having ARM/waters broken, but this was not until I was in transition

I was augmented with the drip after my waters broke. I was at 3cm by then, and labour had stalled. I went on to have a drug-free labour (about 5 1/2hrs).

Next time though, if labour stalls, I'm going to wait max time before allowing the drip because of the risk of further intervention. Hopefully my body will kickstart itself!

Thanks so much everyone for your stories & info. I dont have a hind water leak, well dont think I do. LOL But due to my history etc, being off aspirin since 34 weeks Induction happening friday. Im going to ask for my waters to be broken & see what happens, but since im strep b pos, im on a clock any way.

Sorry for disappearing family emergency, my healthy fit dad who rides his bike to work 30kms, and walks at least 4km a day had a mild heartattack on monday. Hes ok just waiting on tests now.

Will be back after my birth to report.

Hugs

Good luck for friday Melinda,look forward to hearing all about it, hope your dads ok

With my first I had a water leak and was induced with Synto drip 12 hours after the leak started.

With my second I was looking at induction again (GD) but really wanted to avoid the drip. OB decided to break my water as I was already a few cm's dilated when I went in to hospital. Unfortunately I didn't have so much as a twinge, even though I walked round and round the hospital and up and down 12 flights of stairs for 4 hours :rolleyes: After 4 hours I was under pretty strong pressure to get on the drip - they wanted to start it after an hour but I managed to stretch it out. By 4 hours they were getting antsy so I had it....again. It was horrible again, and if I ever have another baby I will not be having it EVER. I totally understand why you want to avoid it.

with my first child, i had my waters broken, and went into full on contractions straight away, with my second, my waters were broken and the drip inserted, and 2 hours later the contractions started. I had no monitoring with either (except here and there, but not made to lay on the bed and be monitored) and had active labours. It is up to you!! Good luck...

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LOL Flea :D